Combined pull and release trigger



NOV. 15, 1938. R J, JONES 2,136,511

COMBINED PULL AND RELEASE TRIGGER Filed Oct. 20, 1937 2 Shee'ts-S'neet l 78 r .I' w W 1 E wu All!!! 1 Nov. 15, 1938. P. J. JONES 2,136,511

COMBINED PULL AND RELEASE TRIGGER Filed Oct. 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED PULL AND RELEASE TRIGGER Poyner J. Jones, Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone Application October 20, 1937, Serial No. 170,091

. 14 Claims. (Cl. 42-69) My invention relates to new and useful-improvements in a trigger mechanism for a shotgun, and more particularly to a mechanism which may aptly be called a pull or release trigger.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, within recent years there have been a number of trigger mechanisms wherein the gun is fired by releasing the trigger rather than by pulling the trigger. This trigger mechanism is known as a release trigger. The real purpose of the release trigger is to try to overcome the tendency in the shooter to flinch, which flinching is due to nerves and also to the fact that in applying pressure to the trigger, anywheres from three and one-half to seven pounds, the muscles become taut and the shooter is unable to hold the gun at the desired point of position or even pull the trigger.

It is a well-known fact, however, that where a release trigger is used, the loosening of the muscles, that is, on the releasing of the trigger, has a great tendency to overcome fiinching.

Release triggers have heretofore been mostly applied to trap guns, that is, guns which are used at the traps, rather than to field guns, as to change over entailed a dismantling of the mechanism.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide an exceedingly simple trigger mechanism that may be applied to a shotgun and, if desired to shoot over the traps, by simply pressing a small detent, the trigger mechanism may be transformed from a pull trigger actuating mechanism to a release trigger mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a trigger mechanism that may be quickly applied to a shotgun of the pump type, that is, where the fore end is actuated to eject the old shell, force a new one in position, and cock the gun.

The shooter may press the detent so that when shooting at doubles, he may press the small detent or, in other words, set the gun for the release trigger on the first bird of the pair, and when the fore end is shifted, the second bird may be shot with the trigger mechanism arranged for the pull trigger. In other words, every time the run is cooked, the trigger will be of the pull type or of the ordinary type but may be changed over instantly by pressing the small detent, which will be later described.

Also, the trigger mechanism may be equally as well applied to what is known as the automatic shotgun, that is, where the recoil ejects the old shell, places a new one in position, and

automatically cocks the trigger, making the gun ready to be again reflred.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism that may be quickly and easily applied to automatic or pump guns with but very little trouble,.and after once applied, the gun may be used as an ordinary pull trigger gun or press a small detent and make the trigger of the release type.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism that consists of substantially two additional sears which may be quickly added to, say, the Winchester pump or automatic gun, it only being necessary to make a few mechanical changes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a trigger mechanism wherein the trigger is ordinarily arranged for the pull type but may be quickly changed to the release type, or if the shooter changes his mind, by pressing another detent, the trigger mechanism is again set for the pull type trigger.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings which show a trigger mechanism stripped of the parts that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in section showing the conventional hammer and trigger and sear as used in the -Winchester type .shotgun together with my improved additional release trigger mechanism, the hammer being shown in its cocked position and to be released by a pulling of the trigger;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the trigger having been pulled and the hammer in its fired or released position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the detent having been pushed and the mechanism being now arranged for a release trigger firing;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, the trigger having been pulled and the parts operated so that on a release of the trigger the hammer will be released;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the trigger mechanism, showing the hammer and its several parts in the frame;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the additional sears; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective of a second additional sear which cooperates with the aforementioned sear.

At the outset, it might be mentioned that the actuating mechanism for the hammer, that is, to cock it, and the safety catches and a few other parts have been omitted, so that the present invention may be more clearly understood.

In Fig. 1, there is shown the frame I with the trigger guard 2, the conventional hammer 3, its spring 4, the trigger 5 with its combined sear 5, which fits within the sear notch I formed in the under portion of the hammer 3. The combined scar and trigger 5 is pivoted, as at 8, while the small spring 9 is compressed when the trigger 5 is pulled and which, in turn, will force the sear 8 in an upward position and the trigger 5 back to its normal position after the trigger 5 has been pulled and the hammer released.

So far, the parts explained are conventional ones, and it is the mechanism about to be described that forms the gist of the present invention. Pivoted, as at III, in the frame I and just above the combined trigger and sear 5 and 6 may be seen the additional sear I I, which is of irregular shape and has the upwardly extending arm I2 with the nose I3 thereon, while extending rearwardly is the integral arm I4, which is to be engaged by an additional sear, shortly to be mentioned.

- Forwardly of the sear II and extending downwardly is what I term an arm or detent I5, which extends below the under surface of the sear 5 and the trigger 5, so that this may be manually actuated when desired.

Pivoted to the trigger 5, as at I6, is the second additional sear II, which is substantially of bellcrank shape, that is, having the upwardly extending arm I8 and the nose I9, while the under arm 20 extends forwardly and is also exposed just below the combined trigger and sear, as it is the setting of this arm 28 of the sear I! that transforms the trigger mechanism for a release firing.

Interposed between the arm 28 of the sear I1 and the arm I4 of the sear II may be seen the small spring 2| and the pin 22 for keeping it in position. Also on the hammer 3 may be seen the additional stud 23, which is to be engaged by the nose I3 on the arm I2 of the sear II, and it is this sear holding the hammer until the trigger 5 is-released (when release set) that makes the mechanism release-type operated, as will be shortly explained.

To add this additional mechanism especially to a Winchester typegun, it has only been necessary to mill out the inner frame widely enough to permit the insertion of the two additional sears II and I1 and to drill the trigger for the pin at I5 and the pin at I0, after which the two sears may be inserted, Also, of course, the additional stud 23 will have to be added to the hammer. After this has once been done, the mechanism may be utilized as a pull trigger, or by simply pressing the detent 20, the action will be that of the release type.

DESCRIPTION AS To run OPERATION Pull trigger Now supposing that the hammer has been cocked by conventional means (not shown), the sear 5 will have. engaged the sear notch I in the hammer and all of the parts will be in the posi tion shown in Fig. 1, the nose I9 of the second supplemental sear I! being over the arm. ll of the first supplemental sear II, but the nose I3 of the arm I2 of the sear II will not be in engagement with the projection or stud 23. Thus, when the trigger 5 is pulled, the sear 6 will be pulled from the sear notch I and the spring 4 will force the hammer .to strike a firing pin (not shown) to thus fire the gun. The sears II and I1 and likewise the hammer 3 will be in the position clearly shown in Fig. 2. It wil be noticed that the sear I1 is still in engagement with the arm ll of the sear II.

Transformed to release trigger clearly shown in Fig. 3. Also, when the arm 20 was forced upwardly, it, throughv the medium of the spring 2|, slightly rocked the arm ll of the sear I I and in doing so, forced the arm I2 and its nose I3 forwardly to extend over the stud or projection 23 of the hammer 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The trigger mechanism is now set for a release firing, that is, after the trigger is pulled, and on its release (return), will fire the gun, as will now be mentioned.

In Fig. 4, after the parts have been set as shown in Fig. 3, as just mentioned the trigger 5 will be pulled rearwardly, and as the pivotal point of the trigger 5 and its extended sear 5 is at the point 8, the sear I! will be slightly elevated and the arm I8, with its nose I9, will again overlie the arm I4 of the sear II. In other words, the two sears, that is, II and II, are now interlocked with the trigger 5.

Also, when this trigger 5 is pulled rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, it has disengaged the forward end of the sear 6 from its notch I of the hammer 3 and has compressed the small spring 9 and the hammer would be released it it were not, for the arm I2 and its nose I3 of the sear holding the hammer by its engagement with the stud 23. Further, when pulling the trigger and the arm I8 has again engaged the arm I4, it has slightly moved the sear II rearwardly, so that the nose I3 has moved minutely on the stud 23, that'is, the position being clearly shown in Fig. 4 as distinguished from that shown in Fig. 3 As the trigger 5 is now released, the sear 6 will move upwardly, due to the spring 9, it being remembered that it is pivoted, as at 8, and the trigger will move forwardly and slightly downwardly, and the sear II, through the arm I4 being in engagement withthe arm I8 of the sear II, which is pivoted to the trigger 5, as at I6, will rock slightly rearwardly (it being locked to the trigger by the sear II.) until the nose I3 of the arm I2 becomes disengaged from the projection or stud 23, which will release the hammer 3 to strike the firing pin (not shown) and fire the gun When the gun' is again cocked, the position of the parts will be returned to that shown in Fig. 1, and unless the forward end 20 of the sear I1 is pressed upwardly, the gun will be of the ordinary pull trigger type.

At the moment, however, that the arm 28 is again pushed upwardly, it will become a release trigger mechanism, as just explained.

It will be noticed that the arm (detent) I5 of the sear II also extends below the trigger, so that should the shooter, having decided to throw in the release type mechanism by pushing up the arm 20, change his mind, by simply pressing up on the exposed end of the arm I5, the parts 7 will again assume the position as shown in Fig. 1

. and the gun he of the pull trigger type. Thus,

it will be seen that it is but the matter of a moment to arrange the trigger for a release type operation, or after having once changed it, it is but the matter of a moment to change it back to a pull trigger type. It will also be noticed that the gun is normally operated by a pull of the trigger but -may be transformed instantly by pressing upwardly on the arm 20 to the release type operation.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by the addition of an extra stud on the hammer and the addition of two supplemental sears arranged as shown, I have perfected a mechanism wherein the gun may be fired by the ordinary pull on the trigger, or it may be instantly changed to where the gun may be fired by a release trigger movement.

For shooting doubles, that is, where two clay birds are thrown from the one trap at the same time, if the mechanism is used, say, on an automatic gun, the mechanism may be set for release type, so that when firing at the first bird, it is only necessary to release the trigger. On the second bird, the trigger will be operated as the pull type, so that the shooter does not have to press up on the detent 20 during the flight of the birds, because when the gun is recocked for firing, it will be remembered that the mechanism will now be set for the pull trigger type.

It will be understood that the addition of these parts to an ordinary type of gun entails but little work and, of course, the mechanism may be made up as a complete trigger mechanism rather than as an attachment and incorporated in guns when they leave the factory.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a release and pull trigger mechanism, a hammer, a spring for actuating the same, a trigger, a main sear operated by the trigger, a stud on said hammer, a second sear pivoted to the frame and capable of cooperating with said stud, a third sear pivoted to the trigger and cooperating with said second-mentioned sear, said thirdmentioned sear adapted to be manually set to cause the second Sear to hold the hammer through said stud until the trigger is released.

2. In a release and pull trigger mechanism, a hammer, a spring for actuating the same, a trigger, a main sear operated by the trigger, a stud on said hammer, a second sear pivoted to the frame and capable of being thrown into and out of engagement with said stud, a third sear pivoted to the trigger and cooperating with said second-mentioned sear, said third-mentioned sear adapted to be manually set to cause the second-mentioned sear to hold the hammer through the said stud after the trigger is pulled and the main sear released and until the trigger is released.

3. In a release and pull trigger mechanism, a hammer, a spring for actuating the same, a trigger, a main sear operated by the trigger, a stud near the rear of said hammer, a second sear pivoted to the frame having an arm normally out of engagement with said stud but capable of being thrown into engagement with said stud, a third sear pivoted to the trigger and cooperating with another arm of said second-mentioned sear, a spring between the two last-mentioned sears, said third-mentioned sear normally engaging said second-mentioned sear, the said third-mentioned sear adapted to be manually raised to cause the arm on the second-mentioned sear to engage the stud on said hammer and to throw the third-mentioned sear out of engagement with the second-mentioned sear whereby when the trigger is pulled and the first-mentioned sear is operated the second-mentioned sear will hold said hammer through said stud until said trigger is released which permits the secondmentioned sear to be released from said.- studon said hammer.

4. A normally set pull trigger mechanism including a hammer, a spring for actuating the same, a trigger, and a sear, the hammer normally released when said trigger is pulled, a stud on said hammer and a second sear pivoted to the frame, a third sear pivoted to the trigger, a spring between said second and third sears, means for manually rocking said third sear to thereby throw the second sear into engagement with the stud on the hammer and to disengage the third sear from the second sear whereby said hammer is held by the second sear when the trigger is pulled, and the pulling .of said trigger releasing the first sear and throwing into engagement the second sear and the third sear and a release of the trigger disengaging the hammer from the second sear and the hammer actuated.

5. In a release and pull trigger mechanism, a hammer, a spring for actuating the same, a trigger and a sear cooperating between the hammer and-the said trigger, a second sear pivoted to the frame, a stud on said hammer, a third sear pivoted.to the trigger and normally engaging said second-mentioned sear, said third-mentioned sear capable of being manually rocked to throw the second-mentioned sear into locked engagement with the hammer and to temporarily disconnect the third-mentioned sear from the second-mentioned sear whereby a pulling. of the trigger will release the first-mentioned sear and again lock the second-mentioned sear with the third-mentioned sear and cause said trigger when returning to its normal position to release the second-mentioned sear from its engagement with the stud on the hammer and thereby permit the hammer to be fired.

6. In a release and pull trigger mechanism, a hammer, a spring for actuating the same, a combined trigger and sear cooperating with the hammer, a second sear pivoted to the frame, a stud on said hammer, a third sear pivoted to the trigger and normally engaging said second-mentioned sear, said third-mentioned sear capable of being manually rocked to throw the second-mentioned sear into locked engagement with the hammer and to temporarily disconnect the thirdmentioned sear from the second-mentioned sear, a spring between the second and third-mentioned sears, a pulling of the trigger releasing the firstmentioned sear and locking the second-mentioned sear with the trigger through the thirdmentioned sear whereby when the trigger returns to its normal position the said second-mentioned sear will rock with the trigger and free the hammer from said second-mentioned sear.

7. A release trigger mechanism including in part two sears one of which is engaged by the other and a spring between said sears whereby a movement of one sear will slightly move the other, one of said sears provided with arms extending at substantially right angles to each other and the other of said sears being substantially in the shape of a bell-crank, the bell-crank shaped sear being secured to a trigger and the other sear being pivoted to a frame and being thrown into engagement with a hammer by the setting of the bell-crank shaped sear, and the second sear being thrown out of engagement with the hammer when the trigger is released.

8. A release trigger mechanism including in part two sears one of which is pivoted to the frame and the other of which is pivoted to the hammer, one of said sears having an upwardly extending arm with a nose and an arm extending at right anglesthereto and a downwardly extending exposed arm, the other of said sears also comprising two arms one of which is exposed and adapted to be pressed by a shooter and the other of said arms cooperating with an arm of the firstmentioned sear, and a spring between said sears whereby on an upward movement of one of said sears it will rock the other of said sears.

9. A combined pull and release trigger mechanism including a hammer, a spring, a trigger, and a main sear for releasing the hammer, two additional sears the first of which is pivoted to the frame and the second of which is pivoted to the trigger and has, an exposed portion for manual operation whereby the said additional sears may be thrown into cooperation with the hammer to hold the hammer after the trigger is pulled and to release the hammer only when the trigger is released.

10. A combined pull and release trigger mechanism including a hammer, a spring, a trigger, and a main sear for releasing the hammer, two additional sears the first of which is pivoted to the frame and the second of which is connected with the trigger and has an exposed portion for manual operation whereby the said additional sears may be thrown into cooperation with the hammer to hold the hammer after the trigger is pulled and to release the hammer only when the trigger is released, and the first of said additional sears also provided with an exposed portion for manual operation whereby the additional sears may be thrown out of engagement with the hammer after having been thrown in to again restore the mechanism to a pull triggermechanism.

11. A normally set pull trigger" mechanism including a hammer, a spring, a sear, and a trigger,

means for transforming the same into a release trigger mechanism including two additional cooperating sears and a spring between said sears, one of said sears being pivoted to the trigger and the other of said sears pivoted to the frame, the sear that is pivoted to the trigger capable of being rocked to throw the sear that is pivoted to the frame into engagement with the hammer and hold the same even after the said trigger is actuated, and the said sear that is pivoted to the trigger locking the sear that is pivoted to the frame to the trigger when the trigger is actuated whereby when said trigger is released the sear that is pivoted to the frame, having been locked to the trigger, releases said hammer.

12. In a pull trigger mechanism including a hammer having a stud thereon and a main sear, two additional sears the first of which is pivoted to the frame and when operated is locked with the stud on the hammer and the second of which is secured to the trigger, cooperating means between the two additional sears tolock both of said sears with the trigger, the two sears when locked to each other also locking with the stud on the hammer, and said hammer released when the said trigger is released.

3. A combined pull and release trigger mechanism including a hammer, a sear, and two additional sears, the first of said additional sears being pivoted to the frame and adapted to be thrown into and out of cooperation with the hammer, the second of said additional sears being pivoted to the trigger, the two additional sears being locked with the hammer on the pulling of the trigger, and the first of said sears releasing the hammer when the trigger is released.

14. In a combined pull and release trigger mechanism, a hammer, a spring for actuating the hammer, a trigger, a main sear, two additional sears one secured to the frame and holding the hammer after the main sear is actuated, the other of the two additional sears being pivoted to the trigger and looking with the firstmentioned additional sear so that when the trigger is released said first additional sear is also released to thus release the hammer.

POYNER J. JONES. 

